Relapse
by Tina101
Summary: Sequel to "The 'T' Word." Maureen is sick once again, only this time the family is nearly ripped apart as she lays in the hospital dying.
1. Chapter 1

_Relapse_

**Chapter 1:**

Cassia Jefferson-Johnson sat curled up on the couch flipping through a magazine. The steady, methodic footsteps of her mother coming down the hall caught her attention. She looked up when the footsteps stopped.

"Mommy?" she asked when she saw Maureen begin to sway back and forth slightly. Maureen regained her composure and continued on her way to the kitchen with the latest addition of their family in her arms.

Paige was barely a year old. Like Cassia and Tiffany, she was adopted locally. She had bright blonde hair that was already starting to curl and deep blue eyes. She was the apple of Maureen's eye and could barely stand to be away from her at times.

"Mom, are you alright?" Cassia asked as she put down her magazine and approached Maureen. Paige reached for her big sister, and Cassia took her in her arms.

"I, uh, just need my glasses," Maureen replied as she squeezed her eyes closed. She felt her sight fading at the moment, and she definitely didn't want her daughters to see that.

"Go back to bed, and I'll bring them." Maureen was too exhausted to really argue. She gave Paige a light kiss and retreated back to bed.

in bed, Maureen pulled the blankets up over her head. The tumor had definitely done its damage, even two years later. She still had dizzy spells, migraines and sometimes she went semi or completely blind. It was now just an accepted part of her life, and everyone was amazing about it. Even Benny called every once in a while to check up on her. it was sweet of him, and he was doing his best to make amends still.

In the past few years, Benny finally took a step past being separated and living at the loft and divorced Alison. He and his seventeen-year-old son were now living with his fiancée, Katie. The Bohemians found her a million times better than Muffy could ever be.

When Joanne walked in the door around seven, she was greeted by an over-enthusiastic, "Mommy?" from Paige.

"This would be great if she actually wanted me," Joanne commented to Cassia as she picked Paige up and balanced her on her hip.\

"One day she will," Cassia assured. Joanne gave her and Tiffany each a kiss.

"Where is your mom?" she asked. That set off a wave of tears from Paige.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Joanne gently bounced the small child up and down on her hip.

"Mommy's sleeping," Tiffany commented without breaking her gaze with the television. Joanne grabbed the remote and flicked off the apparatus.

"Alright, missy, bath, pjs and bed." Groaning, tiffany slid off the La-Z Boy and trudged out of the room.

Paige's wails eventually subsided to crocodile tears, which Joanne definitely wasn't going to fall for.

"I fed them both," Cassia said as she got to her feet. "There's a questionable substance stuck in Paige's hair. Sorry I couldn't give her a bath yet." Joanne pulled her into a one armed hug.

"don't be sorry, you've done so much already," she assured before kissing her cheek. "Thank you." Cassia returned the hug before retreating to her room for the night.

After getting the girls off to bed, Joanne went to see Maureen. She felt terrible for not being able to come and see her wife sooner.

"Honeybear?" she cooed as she sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked Maureen's dark waves.

"Pookie?" Maureen moaned as she rolled over to face her.

"Hey baby, rough day?" she nodded. "Alright, you go back to bed." Joanne gave her a light kiss on the cheek. She was well aware that Maureen was getting worse once again; it was time to see the doctor once again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

The bell rang, indicating that the school day was over. Cassia slung her messenger bag over her should and rushed out of the classroom. Halfway down the hall to her locker, she was grabbed firmly by the hips, spun around and pressed up against the lockers.

"Zack," she sighed as her boyfriend kissed her firmly.

"Come over tonight," Zack told her. The way he talked, it was more like a command than a request, but that was just how Zack was.

"I can't," Cassia replied as she gave him a quick kiss and started to pull away. "I gotta baby-sit my sisters. I'm sorry, baby, I promise I'll call you later." When she tried to pull away, Zack grabbed her upper arm firmly. "Zack! What the hell!?" He tightened his grip.

"Come over tonight," he prompted sweetly despite his death grip on her arm. Cassia wretched free and stalked off down the hall. She couldn't figure out why in the world Zack was acting so strangely.

By the time Cassia got home, her shoulder was still sore from Zack, but she shrugged it off as nothing. She dumped her bag next to the front door and made a beeline for the refrigerator.

"Cass, clean your shit up!" Maureen called from the bathroom. Cassia rolled her eyes and grabbed a soda before slamming the door closed and flopping down on the couch to relax before starting her homework.

Ten minutes later, Maureen joined Cassia on the couch. Today she looked…normal; there were no sunglasses or anything. She even had makeup on.

"How was school today, sweetie?" she asked as she tucked a strand of auburn hair behind Cassia's ear. Before Cassia could reply, however, a terrible wail came from the bedroom Tiffany and Paige shared.

"Mommy!" Paige cried. Sighing, Maureen got to her feet. She threw Cassia an apologetic look before going to retrieve Paige.

Paige was all smiles and giggles when Maureen brought her out to join Cassia in the living room.

"I've gotta pick Tiffany up from school, can you watch Paige, please?" she asked as she bounced Paige up and down on her hip to keep her quiet.

"Yeah." Cassia gently pried Paige out of her mother's arms, causing her to whimper. "Let's go play," she cooed. Fat tears rolled down Paige's cheeks. She mouthed _Mommy_ several times as she was carried away.

Cassia sat on the floor with Paige and did her best to distract her baby sister. It didn't take long for Paige to momentarily forget about Maureen just long enough for her to leave to pick Tiffany up from school.

When Joanne got home from work that evening, she was surprised to see Maureen on the floor playing with Tiffany and Paige while Cassia was off somewhere doing her own thing.

"Hey Pookie," Maureen chirped. Joanne leaned over and gave all three of them kisses. Tiffany wrapped her arms around Joanne's neck and refused to let go.

"Tiff, you're too heavy," Joanne said as she untangled her thin arms and stood up.

"But you carry Mommy all the time," Tiffany argued. Joanne and Maureen glanced at each other for a split second before changing the subject.

"Did you guys already eat?"

"Yeah, we just had leftovers. There's still some pizza left," Maureen replied. Joanne nodded. She'd eat after changing and checking on Cassia.

In her room, Cassia was sprawled out across her bed talking on her cell phone. A polite knock on her door caught her attention.

"I'm on the phone!" she announced with a slightly annoyed edge to her voice.

"Alright," Joanne relented before disappearing down the hall. Cassia went right back to her conversation.

"Sorry about that, baby," she said to Zack. "Hey, umm, my moms are going to be at the doctor's Thursday, and my sisters will be at a friends', you want to come over?" The question hung in the air for a few seconds before Zack said anything.

"Just tell me when." A smile spread across Cassia's face. Suddenly, Thursday couldn't come fast enough for her.

In the living room, Maureen got to her feet to get a glass of water. The second she got to her feet, the room began to spin. She reached out to grab something to keep her balance, but there was nothing to grab; her knees buckled, and she blacked out before she even hit the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Joanne spun around at the sound of a dull _thud_. She rushed to Maureen's side and rolled her onto her back.

"What happened to Mommy?" Tiffany asked innocently. Joanne ignored her and called for Cassia.

"What!?" Cassia snapped as she emerged from her room. Her face softened when she saw Maureen on the floor.

"Take the girls to your room, please." Seeing the urgent situation at hand, cassia swept Paige and Tiffany out of the room instantly.

Moaning, Maureen slowly began to come around. Her head whipped around; her eyesight was completely gone.

"Joanne!? Joanne!" she cried. She felt Joanne's hand gently cup her face.

"I'm right here, Honeybear," Joanne gently assured. "Can you see me?" Maureen shook her head as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Joanne wiped away the tears. "Shh, shh, it's alright. We're going to see Dr. Carver in two days. You just have to stay strong for two days." Nodding, Maureen slid her arms around Joanne and clung to her for dear life.

Literally everyone in the Jefferson-Johnson household was thrilled to see Thursday come around. Paige and Tiffany were to be dropped off at the loft so Cassia could have a break. Within twenty minutes of the family leaving, there was a knock on the door. A smile spread across Cassia's face as she opened the front door. The second the door was opened, Cassia felt Zack's lips pressed against hers. She wound her fingers in his hair as they stumbled to her bedroom.

Partway to the loft, Joanne realized that they forgot Maureen's medical insurance card. She turned the car around and sped off back towards their apartment.

"I'll be right back," she told Maureen before climbing out of the driver's seat and dashing up the stairs.

Cassia let out a moan of pleasure as Zack removed her bra and flung it carelessly across the room. His hands then set to work exploring the newly exposed skin. They were too caught up in the moment to realize that they weren't alone until it was too late.

"what the hell are you doing?" Joanne screamed. She had been drawn to Cassia's bedroom by an unusual sound, and now she knew what it had been. Zack scrambled off of Cassia as she grabbed her blanket to cover herself up.

"Mama! I though you left," she argued.

"Obviously." Joanne turned to Zack. "You, _out_! I want you stay away from my daughter." Zack grabbed his clothes and quickly fled the room. "And you, get dressed, you're going to the loft with your sisters."

"But Mama-"

"you obviously can't be left alone anymore." Cassia began to get dressed. "You're about the enjoy total lockdown, young lady." Once Cassia was dressed, Joanne took her by the arm and dragged her out of the apartment. "No tv, no music, no cell phone, no internet, no computer, no friends, no going out, no being home alone. You get dropped off at school and get picked up again."

"What if I need the computer for homework?  
"Then do your homework old-school." They arrived at the car. Everyone was surprised to see Cassia.

"Are you coming with us, Cassia?" Tiffany chirped as they climbed into the car.

Joanne started the car and replied, "Cassia is completely grounded from here until eternity." She gave Maureen's hand a squeeze, telling her that she'd explain later.

Cassia literally felt like a prisoner as she carried Paige up to the loft. Joanne didn't say anything but kept giving her disappointed looks. The second she slid open the loft door, Tiffany rushed inside and into Mimi's arms.

"Auntie Mimi!" she exclaimed.

"Hey chica," Mimi said as she swept the child up in her arms.

"I've gotta run, but Cassia is completely grounded; no _anything_," Joanne explained. She gave all three girls goodbye kisses before leaving.

When Joanne got back down to the car, she found Maureen reclined in the passenger's seat fast asleep. Joanne stroked her cheek before starting up the car and driving down the street.

By the time Maureen and Joanne got to the doctor's, Maureen was awake but pretty groggy. Joanne put a supporting hand on her back and guided her inside.

"What did Cassia do, Pookie?" she asked as they took a seat in the waiting room.

"I caught her half-naked in bed with Zack." Maureen was too exhausted to really comprehend what Joanne said. All she did was nod slightly and rest her head against Joanne's shoulder and close her eyes until they were called back.

Joanne gently guided Maureen back to the examining room. The bright lights were really starting to get to her. Before she could complain, however, Dr. Carver appeared.

"Hello Maureen, Joanne, how are you doing?" she asked as she took a seat at the small desk in the room.

"My headaches are back," Maureen replied. "And my sight is fading again." Dr. Carver took note of this in Maureen's file.

"Alright, we'll have to run a few tests today." Maureen nodded; she had expected as much. The tests weren't that bad, and she'd been through worse.

It was late by the time Maureen and Joanne got to the loft. Paige and Tiffany were both fast asleep, and Cassia was sitting next to the window moping.

"How'd it go?" Mark asked softly so he didn't wake the girls. Cassia pretended not to listen but really was.

"They ran some tests," Maureen replied. "We'll find out in a week." Nobody said anything, but they all knew what the results would show. Everyone knew that the tumor was back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Lockdown meant absolutely nothing to Cassia. It was easier than she thought. A few days a week she'd either leave school during lunch or not go at all. As long as she was back at school in time to be picked up by Angel or Roger, she knew that she would be fine.

Cassia dashed inside the building one morning, wove her way through the students and out the back door where Zack was waiting.

"Hey sexy," he purred as she slammed her up against the cool brick wall with way more force than needed. Cassia giggled. She happily kissed him back until he tried to pull her shirt off.

"Zack, baby, not here," she insisted, but he wouldn't listen. He kept trying to pull Cassia's shirt off. Enough was enough, she pushed him away. "Zack! Not here!" In a flash, Zack brought his hand back and back-handed her. Cassia was stunned, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"Let's go to my place," he said with a smile, as if nothing had happened. Nodding, she slid her arm around Zack's waist and followed him to his apartment.

Meanwhile, Maureen was home with Tiffany and Paige when the phone rang. She ruffled Tiffany's braids before getting to her feet and answering the phone.

"Hello?"

"Maureen, its Dr. Carver. I have the test results in. if you and Joanne could come down as soon as possible." Maureen closed the bedroom door for some privacy.

"Just tell me now," she said firmly.

"Maureen-"

"Just tell me now!" She didn't want to be babied anymore; she wanted everything told to her straight.

"The tumor's back. It's the size of a tennis ball and putting pressure on your brain. We'll have to shrink it through radiation treatment and operate." A sob slipped out. Maureen said goodbye to Dr. Carver and hung up the phone. She then held her head in her hands and continued to cry.

When Maureen didn't return to the family room for a while, Tiffany left Paige to play by herself and searched for her.

"Mommy?" she asked as she opened the bedroom door. Maureen was curled up in bed crying. "What's wrong, Mommy?" Tiffany climbed up on the bed and hugged her mom.

"Nothing baby," Maureen replied through tears.

"Do you want me to call Mama?" She shook her head. Tiffany kissed Maureen's cheek and climbed off the bed.

Mark was busy cutting some film together when the phone rang. He was about to let someone else get it when he remembered that he was home alone…again. He rushed across the filthy room and grabbed the phone just in time.

"Hello?"

"Uncle Mark?"

"Tiffany, what's wrong? Now Mark was worried; he couldn't figure out why in the world Tiffany would be calling the loft.

"Mommy's really upset and Mama's in a long meeting at work," Tiffany explained.

"Alright, I'm on my way." Mark said goodbye to Tiffany, grabbed his camera and rushed out the door.

When Mark arrived at Maureen and Joanne's apartment, he let himself in with the spare key kept at the loft. He found Tiffany playing with Paige as if nothing in the world was wrong.

"Tiff, where's your mom?" he asked.

"In the bedroom." The two girls looked perfectly fine at the moment, so Mark left them alone for a few more minutes. He headed straight for the master bedroom, where he found Maureen curled up in bed crying.

"Mo?" She sat straight up and did her best to wipe away her tears.

"Mark, what are you doing here?" He took a seat on the bed next to her and pulled her into a comforting hug. She felt so fragile in his arms.

"Tiffany called me." Maureen smiled slightly. Leave it to her daughter to get worried and call her Uncle Mark. "What happened, Mo?" She took several deep breaths as she prepared herself for this.

"I have a tennis ball sized tumor putting pressure on my brain," she replied as she began to cry once again. "I'll have to go through radiation and everything. Mark, I don't want to die!" Maureen clung to Marks' shirt and let all of her bottled up emotions out.

Before leaving school for the day, Cassia did her best to cover up the ugly bruise from Zack, but it wasn't happening. She'd just say that she got kicked in the face with a soccer ball, that sounded plausible. Putting on the best smile she could, she joined the throngs of students exiting the school. Her smile grew into genuine happiness when she saw Roger. The rebellious streak in the both of them united them together as uncle/niece.

"Hey Uncle Roger," she said as she approached him.

"Whoa, what the hell did you do?" Roger asked as he brushed his fingertip over the yellowish bruise. "Don't tell me you got in _another_ fight."

"No, I got kicked in the face by a soccer ball," Cassia easily lied as they bean to walk down the street.

"a soccer ball? You _really_ expect me to buy that?"

"No, I expect you to leave it alone," she snapped. Roger got the hint and dropped it. Joanne could badger her to her heart's content later on.

The second Cassia got home; she disappeared into her room without another word to Roger or her sisters.

"Uncle Roger!" Tiffany exclaimed as she ran into his arms. He gathered her up in his arms and then noticed Mark sitting on the couch with Paige on his lap. The thing about Tiffany was she could greet you every time she saw you like she hasn't seen you in ten years.

"Tiffany called me," Mark explained when he saw the confused look on his best friend's face. "Come get a beer with me." Roger knew what Mark meant by that; they needed to have an 'adult conversation.'

In the kitchen, Mark grabbed two bottles of beer and cracked them open. They were always free to make themselves at home at Maureen and Joanne's and vice versa.

"Mo's doctor called, and its pretty bad. She'll have to go through radiation treatment and eventually have surgery again," Mark explained in a low voice.

"Jesus Christ, does Joanne know?" Roger asked.

"I eventually got a hold of her. She had another meeting she can't cancel, but she'll be home as soon as she can." Roger nodded and took a sip of beer. "You don't have to stick around if you don't want to."

"You _really_ think that Tiffany will let me leave? I'll stay for a while. Where's Maureen?"

"Sleeping. She took a sleeping pill and passed out an hour ago. She's really taking this hard." Roger nodded. That was completely understandable, especially for Maureen.

Cassia locked herself in her room until seven o'clock. She wasn't exactly in the mood to be alone, but she definitely didn't want to play twenty questions about her lovely new bruise. Zack was just in a bad mood today; yes, that had to be the logic behind all this. Tomorrow everything would be perfectly fine between them one again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Radiation had to start immediately for Maureen to shrink the tumor so it could be surgically removed. The prognosis was looking good, but it was still a tumor. At the loft one evening, the Bohemians couldn't help but talk about the treatment while Mimi did her best to keep the kids distracted up on the roof.

"So when does the treatment start?" Angel asked.

"Next week," Maureen replied from her seat on the floor next to Joanne's legs. Joanne reached down and tangled her fingers in her chocolate waves.

"I have a favor to ask of you guys," she said to her friends. "Maureen has to go for treatment five days a week, but I have two major cases going on right now and can only get out of work early on Wednesday s. if you guys could take her the other days…" Joanne felt terrible for even asking. She knew that her friends were incredibly busy, and she should be the one taking Maureen to treatment daily regardless of her work schedule.

"Joanne, its fine," Collins assured. "We'll take Maureen whenever you need us to; all you gotta do is tell us when and where." Joanne thanked everyone repeatedly. Sometimes she forgot just how close everyone was and how willing they were to help out.

Up on the roof, Mimi was trying to get Cassia to open up to her about everything going on, but with no luck.

"So how are things at school?" she asked. Cassia shrugged. Paige began to cry, so she picked her up. A sheering pain shot through her shoulder from when Zack had grabbed her the day before, causing her to openly wince. "Whoa, you alright?"

"Yeah, never better," Cassia replied shortly before taking Paige downstairs to see Maureen. Mimi couldn't help but worry. Cassia definitely wasn't herself anymore. Sure there was plenty going on at home, but she had a feeling that there was even more going on past Maureen being sick.

Cassia carried Paige downstairs to where the rest of the adults were talking and having a good time, even Maureen.

"Mom, Paige wants you," she said. Paige leaned out of her sister's arms, reaching for Maureen. Maureen carefully took her in her arms, instantly calming her down. She held Paige close without hurting her, inhaling her sweet, innocent scent.

The following day, Cassia was skipping her afternoon classes once again to be with Zack. They were currently making out in an alley two blocks from school. Cassia broke away and glanced at her watch.

"What's wrong?" Zack asked.

"I gotta get going so I'm back at school in time to get picked up," she replied.

"What's with this whole lockdown thing?"

"Well, ever since I got caught with _someone_ in my bed…" Faster than Cassia could react, she was spun around with her arm twisted painfully behind her back. Zack slammed her up against the wall with all his might.

"You invited me," he hissed in her ear.

"Zack, please let me go," she pleaded through tears. Disgusted, he shoved Cassia away before walking away and leaving her alone in the alley.

Roger left the loft to go pick Cassia up from school. He felt bad that she was basically being treated like a prisoner, but he also understood why Joanne was so upset. Cassia was only a little girl, and she was only trying to get some attention during difficult times.

By the time Roger got to Cassia's school, she was already waiting for him. It looked like she was in some pain, and there was a fresh cut above her eye.

"Alright, what happened to you this time?" he asked.

"Nothing," Cassia snapped. She did her best to ignore the pain in her shoulder, but that was basically impossible. The weight of her backpack tore through her body. It was pure torture walking back to the loft.

When Roger and Cassia got to Avenue B, they found Benny's son, Alex, leaning against the car waiting for his father.

"Is your dad upstairs?" Roger asked. Alex nodded.

"Yeah, he's talking," he replied. Roger squeezed Cassia's shoulder, causing her even more pain than before. She winced but kept her gaze locked on Alex.

"You're Cassia, right?" he asked once they were alone. She smiled and slid off her backpack to relieve her shoulder a little bit.

"Yeah. You're Alex, Benny's son, right?" the two of them had met once or twice in the past, but it had been several years; usually when Benny _did_ show up to be with the Bohemians, he was alone or sometimes with Katie.

"That's me." There was an awkward silence that followed. Cassia didn't want to walk away quite yet, not when Roger gave her this new freedom for a few minutes.  
"Umm, next time your dad comes to the loft, you should come too," she finally suggested.

"Well, that depends." There was a playfully glitter in Alex's warm, chocolate eyes.

"Depends on what?"  
"Depends on if you're there." A warm blush crept across Cassia's cheeks, and she glanced down at her feet for a split second.

"I'll have to see. My mom is pretty sick right now," she openly confessed softly.

"I know, I heard. If you ever need someone to talk to, you can call me." Cassia began to smile once again.

"I'm kinda grounded right now, but I'll definitely call you as soon as my mama lets me go."

"Great!" All thoughts of Zack were quickly banished from Cassia's mind as she pulled out a pen, and Alex wrote his number on her arm.

"Alex, ready to go?" Benny asked as he came out of the building.

"Yeah, I'll see you later, Cassia," Alex said with a wink as he climbed into the passenger's side and closed the door behind him. Smiling slightly, Cassia grabbed her backpack and headed up to the loft.

When Cassia got up to the loft, the first thing Mimi noticed was the fresh cut above her eye.

"What happened, chica?" she cried.

"Nothing! It's, it's nothing," Cassia argued as she dropped her backpack next to the door and went to get a glass of water. All she wanted was to be left alone.

"Cass…" Mimi cooed as she reached out to comfort her, but Cassia flinched away. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Nothing!" she repeatedly as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "Please stop asking me."

"Come on, you can talk to us," Roger urged. He reached out to comfort Cassia, but she fled to the safety of the fire escape to get away from the pressure inside.

Roger and Mimi looked at each other. Something was definitely up with Cassia. She was on her own downward spiral, and they couldn't figure out why. There was something seriously wrong with that girl.

It was nearly dark, and Cassia still refused to come inside. Roger joined her out on the fire escape. He sat down next to her and slid his leather jacket around her shoulders. She nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Why don't you come inside?" he suggested.

"I'm fine," Cassia argued softly.

"Please talk to us. Your parents are going to be here soon; Mimi and I told them about the cut. They want to talk to you."

"There's nothing to talk about." Cassia's voice was distant and barely a whisper. She drew her knees to her chest and did her best to ignore the cold.

"Please, Cass." She shook her head and sat in silence, ignoring Roger completely until she heard her mothers' voices inside talking to Mimi.

Inside, Joanne and Maureen talked in hushed voices to Mimi while Tiffany played with Paige on the couch.

"I don't know what's going on with her, Mimi," Joanne said in a soft voice so Tiffany wouldn't hear.

"She locks herself in her room all day and refuses to open up," Maureen added as she slid her arm through Joanne's for added security of sorts. A fresh dizzy spell was starting to wash over her.

"You two need to sit down and talk to her," Mimi insisted firmly. "Something is seriously wrong." Joanne glanced out the window at Cassia, and it broke her heart.

After another ten minutes or so, Joanne and Maureen gathered up the girls and shuttled them all home. There was a tense aura in the van, and Cassia knew that she was in for it when they got home. Her heart pounded in her chest as terrifying thoughts gripped her mind. Lockdown would be paradise compared to what would happen when her moms found out about Zack. The thought alone made Cassia feel sick to her stomach. She gripped the door handle until her knuckles were white and gazed out the window so no one would see her tears.

The heavy silence didn't end in the car. Even as the family headed upstairs to the apartment they were uncomfortable around each other. Joanne took Tiffany and Paige to get ready for bed while Maureen followed cassia to her bedroom.

"Cassia, honey, please talk to me," she urged. "You used to tell me everything." Cassia swiped away a few stray tears as she began to dig around for some fresh pajamas.

"Please don't, Mom," she pleaded. "It's nothing."

"Bullshit it's nothing!" Maureen exclaimed hotly as she grabbed Cassia's arms firmly. "Why won't you talk to me?"

"Please let me go!"

"Cass, honey, why won't you tell me?" Cassia wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and buried her face in her chest.

"Because Mama told me to stay away from him." Now Maureen understood, this had something to do with Zack.

"Cassia, baby," Joanne cooed as she entered the bedroom. Cassia clung even tighter to Maureen out of fear. "If you tell us what's wrong, you'll be completely ungrounded with no punishment for whatever it is you did." It was an incredibly reasonable deal. Cassia's mind was spinning from everything going on recently.

"Come on, Cass," Maureen gently urged as she rubbed her back to try and coax everything out of her.

Finally, Cassia pulled away from Maureen. With shaking hands she wiped away her tears and carefully thought about how she wanted to say this.

"I didn't stop seeing Zack," she admitted shamefully. "I've been, uh, skipping school a few times a week to see him." Joanne took a deep breath to keep herself from blowing a gasket. "But he's not the same anymore, he messed up my shoulder."

"Messed up your shoulder?" Maureen repeated. "How?" Cassia felt trapped now. All she wanted to do was escape from this nightmare. She closed her eyes to calm herself, and the first thing she saw was Alex.

"Cassia, how did Zack mess up your shoulder?" Joanne pressed urgently. Cassia opened her eyes and shook her head.

"No, I'm done talking. I want to go to bed," she whispered harshly before turning her back on her mothers to get ready for bed. They got the message loud and clear. Joanne gently guided Maureen out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Once she was alone, Cassia immediately curled up in bed and closed her eyes. Every fiber of her being told her to cut all ties with Zack immediately, but she had no idea how. He absolutely terrified her. Cassia squeezed her eyes shut and eventually fell asleep.

In the master bedroom, Maureen and Joanne began to settle down for the night as well.

"Tomorrow morning I'll call the school and tell them about Zack," Joanne said as she began to get changed for bed. "I don't want them anywhere near each other."

"He's hitting her, isn't he?" Maureen asked as she crawled into bed and removed her glasses. Today her sight wasn't too terrible, which was definitely a blessing.

"Yes, but we can't prove it without Cassia telling us, which she won't." Joanne got into bed next to Maureen and shut off the lights. It had been a particularly long day for everyone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

There was a heavy rock in the pit of Maureen's stomach, or at least that's how she felt. Radiation was a living hell. She had zero energy all the time and was dropping weight fast. One thing alone put Maureen at ease; Cassia was back to her usual social self. At least one of the two household divas was playing the part appropriately. Besides the tumor, everything was basically back to normal.

The bedroom door cracked open, catching Maureen's attention. She rolled over to find Tiffany creeping into the bedroom.

"What's up, Tiff?" she asked sleepily.

"Can I watch a movie with you?" Tiffany sounded so for attention, and it absolutely broke Maureen's heart.

"You gotta set it up, an d I'll be right out." Tiffany was all smiles as she scurried out of the room. After a few minutes, Maureen heaved herself out of bed and trudged out to the family room.

Tiffany put in _The Lion King_. Maureen lay down on the couch, and Tiffany curled up at her feet.

"Mommy!" Paige exclaimed as she toddled over to the couch. Maureen picked her up, and she settled down comfortably with her head on her chest. Maureen rubbed her back as they watched the movie together.

Meanwhile, Cassia was sitting in the middle of her bed talking on her cell phone to Alex.

"Are you coming to the loft Saturday night?" she asked as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Alex sighed.

"I don't know. Will you be there?"

"Most likely; it's not like I have plans for this weekend. All my friends are busy, and the last place I want to be is stuck at home like I've been."

"Makes sense. I'll be there so I can see you." A warm blush crept across Cassia's cheeks. She couldn't wait to see Alex on Saturday.

Not even half an hour into the movie Maureen was fast asleep. Tiffany and Paige watched the movie dutifully until the front door opened, and Joanne came inside.

"Hi Mama!" Tiffany chirped excitedly before turning her attention back to the movie. Joanne gave both girls, and Maureen, a gentle kiss before going to check on Cassia. She cracked open the bedroom door and poked her head inside.

"Hi sweetheart," she said before realizing that she was on the phone. Cassia looked up and smiled.

"Alex, one second." She put her hand over the mouthpiece and said, "Hi Mama."

"What do you think about Chinese for dinner?" cassia shrugged. "I'll let you go back to your conversation." With a wink, Joanne disappeared, leaving Cassia alone once again.

The following day, Collins arrived at Maureen and Joanne's apartment to pick Maureen up for radiation.

"Hey Mo, how are you feeling?" he asked after kissing Maureen's cheek softly.

"Alright, I guess," she replied as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door with her best friend, and usual partner in crime.

"Radiation tough on you?"

"You have no idea." They got outside, and Collins hailed a taxi. "I was sick all last night." A taxi pulled up to the curb, and the two climbed in. After giving the cabbie directions, Collins settled back in his seat and slid his arm around Maureen.

The hospital was bright, sterile and utterly dull looking. Maureen knew exactly where to go, so Collins just followed her.

"You can just wait here, it'll only be like twenty minutes," she said, motioning to a nearby waiting room.

"Alright," Collins reluctantly agreed before retreating to the waiting room. Maureen did her best to give him a reassuring smile before disappearing down the hall.

While waiting, Collins flipped mindlessly through a magazine. Hospitals always made him uneasy. There was something about knowing that this type of place was where he, Angel, Roger and Mimi would all meet their untimely end. Thinking about that only terrified Collins about losing Maureen as well, so he focused on the magazine as he waited for her to finish up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Radiation treatment was pure torture for Maureen. She _hated_ going to treatments, and she was always too tired to function all day. Instead of going to the loft that Saturday as originally planned, everyone, Benny and Alex included, was coming over to Maureen and Joanne's. Cassia was, of course, nearly in hysterics about Alex coming over. She refused to admit it, especially after Zack, but she had a thing for Alex.

Joanne entered the master bedroom to find Maureen resting in bed. She took a seat on the edge of the bed and stroked the diva's curls lovingly. Moaning, Maureen rolled over towards her.

"Are you sure you're up to company tonight, Honeybear?" Maureen nodded sleepily.

"I'm sure." Her voice was distant and obviously pained.

"What's wrong, Maureen?" she buried her face in Joanne's thigh.

"My head hurts so much, Pookie. Nothing's working to make me better." Joanne continued to stroke Maureen's hair.

"It is working, Honeybear, just give it time," she gently assured. "Maureen, are you hearing voices again?" she couldn't help but ask, that was the one question always burning in the back of her mind.

"No, no, no voices," Maureen muttered. She started to shake her head, but that hurt too much so she stopped. "Just the world's worst headaches."

"You rest, everyone will understand." Joanne stayed with Maureen, rubbing her back, until she relaxed and eventually fell asleep.

Joanne was getting out some snacks for everyone when their buzzer went off. She was about to call for Cassia when she remembered that she was at the store. She wiped her hands on a dishtowel and went over to the buzzer next to the front door.

"Hello?"  
"Hey honey, let us up!" Angel chirped. Joanne pressed the appropriate button and retreated back to the kitchen; Angel and Collins could let themselves in the apartment.

Sure enough, about a minute alter the front door opened, and in burst Angel and Collins, making their grand entrance.

"Hey sugar," Angel said as she pulled Joanne into a warm hug. Joanne happily returned the hug.

"Where is everyone?" Collins asked as he grabbed a fresh beer out of the refrigerator.

"Maureen and Paige are napping, and Cassia ran to the store with Tiffany, they should be back any minute." Collins cracked open the beer and took a long drink before setting to work helping Angel and Joanne.

At the corner convenient store, Cassia paid for the gallon of milk Joanne sent her out for and the candy bar he was treating Tiffany to. When they walked out of the store, they ran into Alex and Benny.

"Hey Cassia," Alex said. She smiled and grabbed Tiffany's hand so she wouldn't get lost.

"Hey yourself." She looked at Benny. "Hello Mr. Coffin."

"Hello." The foursome began to walk down the street. Tiffany was surprisingly quiet as her candy bar contently.

"Here, let me carry that," Alex said as she took the milk out of Cassia's hand before she could even protest.

"Thank you." She blushed slightly. Benny gave his son a knowing look. There was absolutely no doubting the fact that the teenagers were smitten. He wasn't about to say anything though; especially since this was Maureen's daughter they were dealing with.

Cassia punched in the code and let Alex and Benny into the apartment building. She was grateful that Alex had taken the milk from her; she was still having some issues with her shoulder. He was a really sweet guy, but she wasn't exactly up to dating at the moment with everything going on at home. Still, she enjoyed their friendship and the prospects of a future relationship.

By the time Cassia and Tiffany got up to the apartment, Roger, Mimi and Mark had already arrived as well. The apartment was buzzing with excitement. Paige was awake by now and running around like the total nut she was.

"Here, Mama," Cassia said as she took the milk from Alex with a grateful s mile and handed it over to Joanne.

"Thanks, Cass." Tiffany was off and running around with Paige, and Benny was talking to the rest of the Bohemians. A brilliant idea came over Cassia.

"Let's go up to the roof," she said to Alex with a bright smile. That was the only way they would be able to have a private conversation.

"Alright." Without thinking, she grabbed his hand and lead him up to the roof.

It was surprisingly peaceful up on the roof. Cassia took a seat on a bench near the edge, and Alex took a seat next to her. She began to roll her shoulder to ward off the pain, but it wasn't working.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked. There was a concerned look in his eyes.

"Oh, nothing, I just messed up my shoulder," she replied quickly.

"Here, turn around," he said gently. Confused, Cassia complied. She turned around with one leg on either side of the bench. She felt Alex slide right up behind her. He slid her hair away from her neck, allowing his fingers to brush along the nape of her neck. Chills shot down her spine, but she didn't have time to react. He began to message her shoulders, taking special care not to hurt her. Cassia closed her eyes and relaxed. Never in a million years would Zack have done something like this for her.

After nearly ten minutes, Alex stopped. Cassia was disappointed that it was over, but she had sure not to really show it.

"How's your shoulder now?" he asked softly as he leaned forward so his face was a mere inches from hers. She turned to face him. For a split second her breath caught in her throat when she realized how close they really were.

"Much better," Cassia breathed. Alex leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against hers. His lips were soft and tender, nothing like Zack. Cassie rested her hand on the back of Alex's neck, holding him close, keeping the kiss going.

Meanwhile, Mimi headed up to the roof to tell Alex and Cassia that it was time to eat. She was surprised to open the door to the roof and find the teenagers in a heated liplock. The two flew apart, blushing profusely.

"Time to eat," Mimi said softly before disappearing back down the stairs. Cassia straightened her hair and clothes while Alex did the same. Once they were both presentable, they headed back down to the apartment.

Later that night, Cassia cornered Mimi in the kitchen to confront her about what she saw up on the roof.

"Aunt Mimi, you're not going to tell anyone about me and Alex, right?" she asked nervously.

"What's to tell?" Mimi asked with a wink before disappearing back out to the family room to everyone else. A smile spread across Cassia's face as she grabbed sodas for her and Alex.

Maureen rolled out of bed. She heard voices in the next room and quickly became afraid until she realized that they were the voices of her friends. She pulled on her glasses to hid her glassy eyes. Trailing her fingers along the wall, she made her way out to the family room.

"Hey sleepy," Mimi chirped. Maureen nodded as she made her way over to the couch.

"Here Mo, you can sit here," Angel said as she abandoned her seat on the couch and sat comfortably on Collins' lap. He slid a secure arm around her waist.

"Thanks Angel," Maureen mumbled as she sat on the couch.

"Honeybear, is everything alright?" Joanne asked as she got to her feet to get Maureen a plate of food. She leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I just don't remember you saying that everyone was coming over," Maureen replied softly.

"I told you a few days ago, and we were just talking about it this afternoon." No matter how hard Maureen wracked her brain, she couldn't remember that conversation.

"Oh," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. She didn't want to talk about it then. Joanne gave her another quick kiss before getting her some food.

Alex reached over and gave Cassia's hand a quick squeeze where they were hunched over her laptop in the far corner of the family room. Now he could see why she never really talked about her mother. She looked like a walking skeleton, and it was obvious that she wasn't all there mentally because of the tumor. Cassia focused especially hard on the laptop screen.

"What's wrong?" Alex whispered so none of the adults would hear them.

"Nothing." Her tone was final, telling him to drop it at the moment.

Mimi perched herself on the arm of the chair Roger was sitting on and took a sip of beer before asking, "How have you been, Maureen?" Maureen shrugged.

"Alright, I guess. Radiation is the worst thing in the world," she replied weakly before taking a sip of soda.

"But it's making you better," Joanne pointed out.

"Whatever," Maureen snapped bitterly. The rest of the Bohemians understood that this was thin ice they were treading on and quickly changed the subject. Anything to keep Maureen happy and calm was perfectly fine with them.

Joanne was really starting to worry about Maureen. Her memory would randomly slip up, causing her to get upset. On the plus side, Cassia was her usual bubbly self once again. If everything went well with the tumor then everything would go back to normal with the family.

Joanne sat curled up on her recliner late one night reading over some papers from work when she heard a door open and soft feet pad down the hall.

"Mama?" Tiffany whispered. Joanne looked up from her work.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" she asked sternly.

"I can't sleep." Joanne cleared her papers off her lap inviting her daughter to join her. Tiffany scrambled up onto her vacant lap. "Is Mommy gonna die?" she asked completely out of the blue.

"No, of course not, why would she?"  
"Because she's sick again." Joanne buried her face in Tiffany's braids and held her close. What in the world was she supposed to say to that!?

"She'll be fine, baby, she'll be fine."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Cassia gathered her books from her locker and slammed it closed. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she found Zack leaning against the locker next to hers.

"You're supposed to stay the hell away from me," she snapped as she shouldered her bag and stalked off towards the front door.

"Come on, Cass, let's talk this out." Cassia spun around and glared angrily at her ex.

"You want to talk? Let's talk about how you nearly dislocated my shoulder. Or I know, let's talk about how you slapped me around for kicks. We can talk about that _all _you want." Zack was openly fuming. Luckily, a security guard showed up.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked.

"No, we were just talking." Zack shot Cassia a scathing look before disappearing towards the library.

"Let me know if he gives you any more trouble," the security guard said before leaving. Cassia felt slightly safer as she walked out of the building and down the street.

For once it was slow at work; maybe Joanne would be able to leave work early. As she began to pack up her files, her phone rang.

"Joanne Jefferson's office," she said as she picked up her phone, cradling it between her cheek and shoulder.

"Hey Jo," Collins said on the other end. "Just calling to see how everything's going." Joanne took a seat at her desk.

"Alright, I guess." She paused. "How about you and Angel?"

"We're hangin' in there, but I'm more concerned about you guys. How's Maureen doing?" Joanne sighed.

"It's getting worse, Collins." Tears welled up in her chocolate eyes. "She forgets things then gets upset about it, her eyesight is nearly gone completely, and she gets these crippling headaches, forcing her to stay in bed all day."

"Joanne, have you two considered talking to the girls and preparing for the worse? I know it's hard to do, but you might have to."

"I know, but I don't know if Maureen will be strong enough to do that. She's going to make it through this, there's no way we're going to lose her to this tumor."

"Jo-"

"No! It's not going to happen! I have to go, I have to get home." Joanne's tone was final. She hung up the phone and swept out of her office before anyone else could call.

Collins hung up the phone and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forfinger.

"What's wrong, my love?" Angel cooed as she gathered him up in her arms and kissed his cheek softly.

"Joanne refuses to believe that Maureen could die from this tumor. I told her that she should talk to the girls about everything going on, but she doesn't want to."

"She's going through a lot right now. When the time is right she'll talk to Cassia and Tiffany…with Maureen. Everything will work out in the end, you'll see." There was an air of uncertainty in Angel's voice; they had no clue if it would work out in the end.

That Saturday, Joanne and Maureen headed back to the hospital to run some new tests. Theyhad to see if the radiation was doing its job and shrinking. If it wasn't, nobody wanted to think about that. While Maureen went through the tests, Joanne tried to read a magazine, but all she could think about was what Collins had told her. Maybe they _should_ talk to Cassia and Tiffany about everything going on with Maureen, so they were prepared if the worse did happen. It would be best if they all talked through this ordeal as a family. They should have done that long ago.

Half an hour later, Maureen joined Joanne in the waiting room. Joanne got to her feet immediately and gathered her up in her arms.

"How'd it go, Honeybear?" she whispered.

"Alright, I guess. We gotta meet with Dr. Carver in about a week to look over the scans and everything."

"Oaky, we'll do that." Joanne pulled away and gave Maureen a quick kiss on the lips. "Say we stop at the Life for dinner? You look like you could use something in your system." A small smile spread across Maureen's face.

"I like the sound of that." For a second it felt as if the old Maureen was back as they walked out of the hospital.

When Maureen and Joanne got home from the Life, with leftovers for the girls of course, they were greeted with Paige screaming her head off for Maureen, and Cassia at her wits end as she tried to get Tiffany into the bathtub.

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Paige sobbed as she toddled over to Maureen with her arms outstretched, chubby hands grasping for her beloved mommy. Maureen scooped her up and held her close. Paige's tears stopped instantly.

"What's going on here?" Joanne demanded in her firm, lawyer voice. Tiffany skidded to a stop.

"That _thing_," Cassia spat angrily, pointing at Tiffany. "Won't take a bath. I thought I'd help you out a little bit, but she, however, had different plans." Without warning, she scooped Tiffany up and shoved her in Joanne's arms. "There, you take her." Tiffany knew that she was in trouble. She slid her arms around Joanne's neck and looked at her with huge eyes.

"I love you, Mama," she said in a sing-song voice. Sighing, Joanne carried her to the bathroom to give her a bath.

Maureen carefully sat down in Joanne's chair, holding a giggling and cooing Paige in her arms. Cassia perched herself on the couch.

"Thanks for watching the girls, Cass," Maureen said. Cassia shrugged.

"Its not like I had anything better to do," she commented with the slightest bit of resentment in her voice.

"Why don't you call Alex?"

"Alex?"

"Come on Cass, I'm not blind….well figuratively I'm not. See if he wants to do something."

"Mom, please!" she whined, longing for this conversation to come to an end before it got too embarrassing.

"Alright, whatever you say," Maureen said. Paige suddenly became fascinated with her mom's sunglasses. She wrapped a pudgy hand around the glasses and yanked them off without warning. "Shit!" Maureen exclaimed as she made a mad grab for her glasses, but Paige had a surprisingly firm grip on them. Cassia couldn't help but stare at her mother's once lively eyes. Would she ever see them sparkle once again?

Finally, after a bitter struggle, Maureen managed to get her sunglasses back. This only prompted Paige to let out an Earth-shattering wail. Maureen got to her feet and gently rocked her back and forth.

"It's alright, Paige, it's alright," she cooed. Paige's wails subsided to crocodile tears. "See, you're fine." Maureen put her down, and she wandered off to play with her dolls. "Call Alex," Maureen said before retreating to the kitchen to clean up a little bit.

Maureen's words rang out in Cassia's head, even as she tried to sleep late that night. Of all the guys she could possibly be with, Alex was, without a doubt, the best. He really seemed to care about her and her family. She rolled over and looked at her alarm clock. It probably wasn't wise to call him at three in the morning. Instead, she pulled her blankets firmly around her and finally drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

Maureen and Joanne sat in Dr. Carver's office clinging to each other as Dr. Carver looked over the test results. A small smiled tugged at the corners of her mouth for a fleeting moment.

"The tumor shrank," she told them. Maureen let out a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding.

"does that mean you'll be able to operate soon?" Joanne asked. She gave Maureen's hand a reassuring squeeze. Dr. Carver flipped through the file carefully before answering.

"Yes. You'll need to meet with the surgeon to schedule the operation." She leaned forward with a dead serious look on her face. "I have to be completely honest with you two, the chances of the surgery actually being successful, and you surviving, is about fifty percent." Maureen's hand flew to her mouth. Even behind the safety of her glasses, she turned away in shame.

"Are you sure?" Joanne asked in a forced voice.

"I'm sorry. Try to stay optimistic, but I would still make plans for the worst as well."

"Alright," Maureen replied weakly. Tears rolled down her cheeks freely. Without warning, she stormed angrily from the room.

"Maureen!" Joanne exclaimed. She threw Dr. Carver an apologetic look before rushing out of the room as well.

Maureen didn't get very far. Just down the hall from Dr. Carver's office, she slid to the floor and held her head in her hands. Joanne knelt down in front of her and gathered her up in her arms and held her close.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die, Joanne," she sobbed.

"You won't, I promise that you _won't_ die," Joanne assured as she rubbed Maureen's back and did her very best to calm her down. Inside, however, she felt like crying herself.

The following day, Collins and Angel were enjoying another late morning in bed when the phone rang. Groaning in frustration, Angel climbed off of Collins and fell onto the bed next to him. Collins rolled over and grabbed the phone off the bedside table.

"Hello?" Angel slid an arm around his lover's waist and gently kissed between his shoulder blades. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be right there. I'm getting dressed and leaving right now. Alright, I'm on my way, bye." He hung up the phone and rolled over. Angel gently stroked his cheek lovingly.

"Everything alright, love?" he asked.

"That was Maureen, she sounded pretty upset." Collins stole a quick kiss before rolling out of bed and getting dressed.

Maureen laid curled up on the couch while Paige played with her toys in the corner. The buzzer went off, signaling that Collins had arrived. Sighing, Maureen hoisted herself to her feet and trudge over to the speaker.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe, it's me, let me up!" Collins bellowed. Maureen pressed the button before retreating back to her seat on the couch.

The door opened, and Collins burst inside the quiet apartment, catching the attention of Paige immediately.

"Uncle Collins!" she exclaimed, or at least tried to exclaim.

"There's my girl!" Collins announced as he scooped her up in a giant bear hug. Giggling, Paige tried to wiggle free. Finally, he put her down and plopped on the couch next to Maureen. She curled up next to him, sliding her arms firmly around him. "What's wrong, Mo?" Tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

"The doctor said I only have a fifty percent chance of making it. I don't want to die. I want to see Cassia go to prom with Alex, and Tiffany start first grade, and Paige grow up," she sobbed.

"Oh Maureen, it's alright, you'll make it through this nightmare. This doctor obviously doesn't know what a fighter you are. You _will_ see your girls grow up and become young women." Maureen took off her glasses and wiped her eyes furiously.

"What's it like, do you think, to die?" she finally asked without putting her glasses back on. Collins lovingly wiped away her tears.

"I don't know, and you won't know for a long, long time. This tumor isn't going to kill you." Maureen buried her face in his chest and continued to cry softly. She was terrified to think that this could be it for her.

When Cassia got home from school, she found Maureen sitting on the couch next to Collins with her legs draped across his lap.

"Hey Uncle Collins!" she burst as she rushed forward and gave him a hug.

"Hey, honey." Maureen sat up slightly. Cassia leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.

"Hi Mom. I'm gonna go do my homework."

"Alright, Cass." Cassia made a stop in the kitchen to grab a snack before retreating to the safety of her bedroom.

For once, Cassia had her nose in a textbook for the majority of the evening. Her "flow" was broken off by a knock on her bedroom door.

"Yeah?" she called without looking up. The door opened, revealing Maureen and Joanne. Cassia knew that it had to be serious if both of them wanted to talk to her. "What's up?" she asked in a forced voice as she sat up and closed her book. Her fears only grew when her moms took a seat on either side of her.

"Cassia, there's something we need to talk to you about," Joanne said very carefully. Cassia wanted to make a witty comment right about now, but she knew that it wasn't the time.

"Okay…" she finally said. Deep down inside, she knew what this was about, but she didn't want to admit it.

"I'm going to have to have surgery again, Cass, but there's only a fifty-fifty shot of it being successful," Maureen explained as she gently stroked her cheek lovingly.

Even though she already knew the answer, Cassia couldn't help but ask, "What happens if it's not successful?"

"You're gonna have to be strong for Mama, Tiffany and Paige, alright?" Nodding she wrapped her arms around Maureen and longed to be held like a small child. She didn't want to have to be strong, she was terrified to think about the future.

Alex was just finishing doing the dishes when his cell phone rang. He quickly finished up and yanked his phone out of his pocket.

"Hello?"

"Alex?" Cassia moaned on the other end of the phone. She sounded so lost and helpless.

"Cassia, what's wrong?" his heart raced as he immediately thought of the worst. On the other end, she completely broke down into terrible sobs. "Listen, I'll meet you at the park by your place in fifteen minutes, alright?"

"Okay." Without saying goodbye, Alex hung up the phone and rushed out of the kitchen.

"I gotta go meet Cassia, she sounded really upset," he explained to his dad. Benny looked up from his work. If it had been any other girl he would have said no, but he knew that Cassia was in desperate need of support right now.

"Don't stay out too late," he replied. Alex grabbed his denim jacket ad bolted out the door.

Cassia wasn't questioned as she walked out of the front door to meet Alex. She couldn't figure out why she had called him right away, but he had seemed like the right person to call. She walked out of the apartment without a jacket, no purse or phone. She didn't care though; the only important thing was getting to Alex as soon as possible.

Alex waited dutifully for Cassia at the entrance to the park. He saw her walking down the street in nothing but a t-shirt and jeans. When she saw him, she rushed down the street and into his arms. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and began to sob. All Alex could do was wrap his arms around her and stroke her hair lovingly.

"My mom might die. I don't want her to die," she sobbed. Her words were jumbled by tears and sobs. "She only has a fifty percent shot of making it."

"She'll make it, Cass, you'll see," he assured. He gently pulled away slightly so he could wipe her tears with the pads of his thumbs. Closing her eyes slightly, she leaned into his touch.

"I'm so scared. I can't live without my mom."

"Maybe, if she doesn't make it, it's for the best. She'll be out of pain. I know it's hard to think about, but you have to." Fresh tears rolled down Cassia's cheeks. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew that he was right.

"Come on, let's go sit on the playground," Alex suggested. Cassia pulled away mutely and wiped her eyes.

"Okay." As they walked over to the playground, he slid off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Thanks." They scaled the playground and perched themselves at the top of the slide. Cassia sat between Alex's legs with her back leaning up against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. "Thanks for coming out tonight, I know you're busy."

"You're more important." Cassia blushed. Alex leaned forward to kiss her cheek, but she turned away. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes, I mean no, I mean I guess I should tell you about my last boyfriend." The flood gates were open, and she found herself telling him all about Zack and what he did to her.

Alex listened to Cassia. By the time she was done, eh couldn't wait to get his hands on Zack himself. He couldn't believe anyone would want to lay a finger on her, let alone her supposed boyfriend.

"I can't believe anyone would do something like that to you." He gently brushed her hair out of her face. "Is that why you don't want to talk about when we kissed?" She played with his fingertips nervously.

"I guess." Alex gently tilted her face back to look him in the eye and cupped her cheek in his strong hand.

"I will _never_ lay a finger on you. You're an amazing girl, and no one will ever hurt you again if I have anything to do about it." Cassia turned slightly and buried her face in his chest.

"Thank you," she whispered. Alex stroked her back and hair until it started to grow dark.

A little while later, Cassia and Alex decided to head home so their parents wouldn't worry about where they were. As they walked, their hands found each other, and their fingers laced together.

"You don't have to walk me home, I know you live in the opposite direction," she told him.

"I don't mind, you're worth it." Cassia smiled. They came to a stop outside her building. "I'll see you later." Alex stole a fleeting kiss before squeezing her hand and walking away.

Cassia was walking on air as she headed back up to the apartment. She didn't even notice that she had a big, goofy smile plastered across her face until she passed a mirror in the hallway outside of her apartment. She quickly wiped it away before going inside. When she opened the door, she found Joanne in the kitchen getting some ice cream, and Maureen on the couch attempting to watch television.

"Everything alright, Cass?" Joanne asked without looking up. They had figured that she had been with Alex.

"Yeah."

"Do you want some ice cream?"

"No."

"Are we going to get anything but one-word answers out of you?" Maureen asked. Cassia smiled ever so slightly.

"Maybe." Joanne looked up and noticed that she was wearing an unfamiliar denim jacket.

"Where'd the jacket come from?" she asked. Cassia looked at the jacket and mentally cursed herself.

"Oh, umm, Alex loaned it to me," she replied.

"Oh, you were with Alex?" Maureen teased. Sighing, Cassia plopped down on the couch next to her. "Did you guys behave?"

"Yes Mom." Rolling her eyes, Joanne handed Maureen a bowl of ice cream before taking a seat on her recliner with her own bowl of ice cream.

"So…what's up between you two?" Maureen prompted.

"Oh, come on, Mom!"

"Tell us, Cass," Joanne urged.

"Mama!" Cassia exclaimed, completely embarrassed beyond belief. "Can't I have a little bit of privacy?"

"No," Joanne and Maureen replied at the same time, only prompting Cassia to get more upset.

"Fine, fine, we kissed, and he loaned me his jacket because it's chilly outside. Happy now?"

"I bet this bothers Benny beyond all possible belief," Maureen said with an evil laugh before taking a bite of her ice cream. Joanne rolled her eyes. Sure Maureen and Benny got along fine right now, but every once in a while they liked to see how much they could bother each other.

"Alright, now that we're done prying into my personal life, I'm going to go get ready for bed. Night." Cassia made sure to give both of her moms kisses before retreating to the safety of her bedroom.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

Cassia sat curled up on the couch with Alex. His dad was in the next room working or doing whatever it was he did, so they had a little bit of privacy. Alex stroked her hair lovingly and kissed the top of her head.

"How's your mom doing?" he asked. Cassia shrugged. She willed herself not to cry, she couldn't cry right now.

"Alright, I guess. She's always in bed resting because of these terrible headaches. I'm really afraid that she won't get better. Everyday it's like she's worst than the day before."

"If you ever need to talk, please don't be afraid to call me. I don't care what time you call." Cassia looked up and smiled slightly.

"Thanks." Alex pecked her on the lips lightly. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she whispered. Their lips met again in a reserved kiss.

Maureen pulled her pillow over her head to block out any and all light in the already dark room. It felt as if her head was splitting in two. Maybe that would relieve all the pain, if her head actually split open. Every single day it felt as if she was in more pain than the day before. If only she could have this damn surgery and get it over with. She had painkillers from the doctor, heavy-duty stuff too, but it really didn't do the job. Nothing but surgery could get rid of this pain. The bedroom door cracked open.

"Honeybear, do you need anything?" Joanne cooed from the doorway. Maureen moaned. The next thing she knew, she felt Joanne's gentle hand rubbing her back.

"Make it stop," Maureen whined. She knew that she sounded like a small child right now, but she didn't have enough energy to act anyway else. "My head feels like it's going to explode."

"I know, baby, I know. Remember, we met with the surgeon and scheduled the surgery for in two and a half weeks. All you have to do is wait that long."

"I can't make it, Pookie, I can't do it."

"Yes you can." Joanne leaned over and kissed the exposed patch of Maureen's head. "You'll see." She smoothed the wild hair before leaving her alone to get some much needed rest.

Joanne emerged from the master bedroom to come face to face with Cassia, who was poking her head out of her bedroom.

"Is Mom alright?" she asked. Joanne went over and pulled her into a warm hug.

"She just needs some rest. Everything's going to work out, you'll see, sweetie," she assured. She knew that she didn't exactly sound convincing, but it was the only thing she could really do at the moment. "Are you alright?" she asked as she smoothed Cassia's hair out of her face tenderly.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I'm always here if you need to talk." With a motherly kiss on the cheek, Joanne disappeared down the hall to supervise Paige and Tiffany playing with their dollhouse in the family room.

Mark was hanging out at the loft with Mimi and Roger when their phone rang. They all decided to ignore it in case it was one of their parents, which it usually was.

"Hey guys, its Joanne. Can I talk to you for a second?" In a flash, Roger was on his feet and grabbed the phone.

"Hey Jo."

"Hi Roger. I have a favor to ask of you." Roger leaned casually against the table and crossed his ankles.

"Sure, what's up?" Joanne sighed.

"You guys have done so much for us already, and I hate asking for more, but Maureen's getting worse every day."

"Worse? How so?" That got both Mark and Mimi's attention. They stopped talking to listen to what Roger was saying. They didn't have to ask who he and Joanne were talking about, they already knew.

"She can barely function now, and I don't feel comfortable putting her in charge of Paige all day without me or Cassia with her. I know you all are busy all day, but if one of you could please watch Paige. I'll pay you and everything, and it's only until Cassia gets out of school-"

"Joanne, Joanne, its fine," Roger interrupted. "Someone will be able to watch Paige. I don't blame you to be honest. Even if you want to leave her here with us until you're done with work so Cassia can have some down time, that's fine with us as well. And don't you dare think about paying us, it's our job to take care of Paige." Joanne let out a breath of relief.

"Oh Roger, thank you so much! What time can I drop her off tomorrow?"

"On your way to work is fine. Someone will be up."

"By someone he means someone other than him!" Mimi called from the background. Roger scowled, but he couldn't stay mad at Mimi, especially when she looked at him with her big, brown eyes.

"I really don't know how to thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"I'll see you guys tomorrow then."

"Bye." Roger hung up the phone and ran his fingers through his hair before returning to his seat on the couch. Mimi, however, took his seat, so he decided to get back at her by sitting on her.

"Roger, this isn't funny!" she exclaimed with her arms flailing out from under him. "You're so fat and heavy! Get off of me!" Mark only encouraged the situation by taking out his camera to film it.

"I'm fat!?" Roger repeated.

"Yes, now get _off_!" With one extra hard push, Mimi managed to shove Roger to the floor. Grumbling and swearing, he stumbled to his feet and plopped down on the couch next to her.

"That's for calling me lazy," he told her.

"Aww, come on baby, you know I love you," Mimi purred as she climbed onto Roger's lap and began to kiss his neck sensually.

"I think I'm going to hurl," Mark muttered bitterly as he got to his feet and retreated to the safety of his room where Mimi and Roger's exploits couldn't get to him.

The following morning, Mark made sure he was awake by 8:30 to watch Paige when Joanne dropped her off. It really wasn't a big deal to him since he was usually the first one up at the loft anyway. He put on a pot of coffee and made sure that there wasn't anything lying around on the floor that Paige would eat. They normally kept the loft fairly clean since Paige came around, but you could never be too careful. Just as he finished, there was a knock on the door. He slid open the door, revealing Joanne and a sleepy looking Paige.

"I really can't thank you enough for this, Mark," Joanne sighed as she handed over Paige. The child was way too tired to even understand what was going on. She simply rested her head on Mark's shoulder and closed her eyes with her thumb happily in her mouth.

"Joanne, its fine. We're more than happy to keep an eye on Paige. She'll be fine here." Joanne leaned over and kissed Paige's cheek softly, but she was out like a light.

"Bye, sweetie." With one last kiss, she handed over the diaper bag and left to get to work before she was late for work.

Mark shouldered the bag and took Paige inside. He then carefully laid her out on the couch and covered her up with a blanket before retreating to the kitchen to get his much-needed cup of coffee. Paige was still fast asleep on the couch, where she'd probably remain for another hour or so, which was perfectly fine with Mark. He settled down at the table with the newspaper and his coffee, waiting for his day to get started.

An hour later, Roger emerged from the bedroom he shared with Mimi. His hair was sticking up all over the place, and he still looked like he was ready to pass out at any moment.

He went to go flop down on the couch, but Mark exclaimed, "No! Paige is laying there!" Roger jumped up and looked down. Sure enough, Paige was still fast asleep on the couch. She looked like a little angel, fast asleep and totally innocent.

"It's too early for this," he grumbled as he trudged into the kitchen to get himself some coffee as well.

When Mimi woke up half an hour later, she found both Mark and Roger still drinking coffee and talking quietly. When she went over to check on Paige, she found her wide awake, giggling and cooing over nothing at all.

"Come here," she said as she picked her up and kissed her cheek softly.

"Mimi!" Paige exclaimed happily. Mimi went over and took a sip of Roger's now cold coffee.

"Here, take her," she said as she handed Paige over. Roger took her, which only thrilled her. Mimi grabbed herself a cup of coffee and stuck it in their secondhand microwave. Paige banged on the table and made a swipe at Roger's coffee.

"Oh no, that's the last thing you need. Let's find you something for breakfast." With Paige in hand, Roger got to his feet and dug around the kitchen for something to eat for her. It was easier said than done, but he eventually settled on some toast. It was going to be a long day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

When Cassia came out of school, she was surprised to see Alex leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for her. The button down shirt that was part of his uniform was partially unbuttoned, and his tie dangled uselessly around his neck. A smile spread across her face as she rushed down the stone steps and into his waiting arms.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded before pressing her lips against his in a firm kiss.

"I came to pick you up from school; I figured you wouldn't mind." Cassia slid her arms around his neck and swung back and forth casually.

"You better not mind Tiffany joining us, because I gotta pick her up from school."

"We'll go together, I don't mind." Their fingers laced together, and they walked down the street towards Tiffany's school.

While waiting for Tiffany, Cassia and Alex took a seat on a stone bench near the door. He slid an arm behind her and stole a quick kiss.

"So how was your day?" he asked.

"Alright, I guess. Long and boring, like every other day at school." Cassia turned and looked at him. "How about yours?"

"About the same." The bell rang, and a flood of screaming students rushed out of the building. Cassia stood up and scanned the masses for Tiffany.

"Cass!" Tiffany exclaimed as she ran towards her and threw her arms around her big sister's legs.

"Hey, Tiff. Come on, let's go." Alex got to his feet and grabbed Cassia's backpack.

"I think that some ice cream is in order before heading home," he said as he grabbed Tiffany's backpack from her.

"Ice cream?" she repeated. They began to walk down the street.

"Sure, why not, my treat."

"I don't know, Alex," Cassia said as she gave him a stern look.

"Please, Cass. Just this once. Can we _please_ get some ice cream?" Tiffany pleaded as she dangled from her older sister's arm as if she was a jungle gym.

"Yeah, come on Cass." Alex leaned over and whispered, "I'll make it up to you, I promise." A sly smile played across her lips.

"Alright." Seeing that Tiffany was too busy celebrating, Alex grabbed Cassia's ass before continuing down the street.

Nearly forty-five minutes later, Alex, Cassia and Tiffany all headed back to the girls' apartment.

"You know, you didn't have to do that," Cassia told him as they walked down the street.

"You guys have enough on your minds, whatever I can do to help you forget, even for a little while, is my pleasure." She got up on her tiptoes and pecked him lightly on the lips.

"Well, thank you." Tiffany skipped ahead, completely oblivious to the situation behind her. She skidded to a stop outside their building.

"Come on, Cass, hurry up!" she called almost impatiently. Sighing, Cassia came up behind her and punched in the security code to get into the building.

"Are you coming up?" she asked Alex.

"Are you inviting me up?" Smiling, she took his hand and pulled him inside behind her and Tiffany.

Tiffany ran ahead and made sure to hold the elevator for Alex and Cassia. She bounced nervously as they went up to their floor. The doors finally slid open, and she ran down the hall to their door. Cassia and Alex trailed after her, taking their time. Cassia unlocked the door, and they all went inside.

"Shh, my mom might be sleeping," she told them. Tiffany wasn't listening; she was already on the couch with the television remote in hand. Seeing that she was fine, Cassia went to go check on Maureen. Carefully, she cracked open the bedroom door and poked her head inside. "Mom, you awake?" There wasn't any answer, but something didn't feel quite right. "Mom?" She went over and gently shook Maureen's shoulder. She felt bad about waking her up, especially when she was sick and everything, but she needed to do it for her own peace of mind. No matter how hard Cassia shook her shoulder, she wouldn't wake up. "Mom!? Mom!?" Alex appeared in the doorway.

"Cassia, what's wrong?" he demanded.

"I can't wake my mom. Call 911."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

Joanne was busy meeting with some clients when her secretary appeared in the doorway with an urgent expression on her face.

"Sylvia, not now," Joanne snapped with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Ms. Jefferson, it's important, it's about Maureen." That got Joanne's attention.

"I'm sorry; I have to take this call." She gave her clients an apologetic look before grabbing her phone off her desk.

"This is Joanne Jefferson."

"Mrs. Jefferson, it's Alex." She couldn't figure out why in the world Alex was calling her about Maureen. "Mrs. Johnson's in the hospital. I came over after school with Cassia and Tiffany. Cassia tried to wake Mrs. Johnson, but she couldn't, so we called 911."

"Alright, Alex, I'm leaving right now. Have you called anyone else?"

"One second, here's Cassia." There was a slight rustling, and Cassia's voice came up on the other end.

"Mama?"

"Cass, is someone coming over?"

"Uncle Roger's on his way, I just got off the phone with him. They took Mom to Mercy Hospital."

"I'm leaving now. I'll meet you there." Joanne hung up the phone and looked at her clients. They were longtime family friends of her parents.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. My wife's in the hospital, she's incredibly sick. I'll call you as soon as I can reschedule," she explained as she swept her papers into her briefcase.

"That's fine, we understand," Mr. Anderson assured. Joanne shook each of their hands before rushing out of her office.

Joanne was the last one to arrive at the hospital. Angel was doing her best to keep Paige and Tiffany distracted, along with the help of Mimi, while Alex and Cassia were curled up together on a loveseat a little ways off. Mark, Roger and Collins were just sitting around, waiting.

"Hey, Joanne," Collins said as he pulled her into a giant bear hug.

"How is she?" she asked.

"In surgery, nobody knows anything right now," Roger replied.

"Mama, Mama!" Tiffany exclaimed as she slid off the couch and rushed forward to Joanne. She crouched down and hugged her.

"Hey baby. Why don't you go play with Angel and Mimi?" Tiffany had absolutely no problem with that. She went back to the far corner of the waiting room without a complaint.

Alex did his best to keep Cassia calm. He didn't leave her side, not even when his dad showed up after work. All he did was hold her close in his arms, occasionally kissing her forehead or whispering comforting words in her ear. Silent tears rolled freely down her cheeks, which he would wipe away dutifully. Eventually, she wore herself out and fell asleep safe in his arms.

Joanne sat on an armchair cradling a now stone cold cup of coffee in her hands. She didn't think she'd be able to stomach eating or drinking anything.

"Joanne, honey, please eat something," Mimi pleaded as she held out a bag of potato chips. Joanne shook her head.

"I'm not hungry," she replied weakly. Mimi sighed. They'd been trying to get her to eat something for nearly an hour with no luck. If she was hungry, they figured she'd hopefully eat something.

The waiting was starting to wear everyone down. It was late. Paige and Tiffany were asleep on the couch together while Cassia was now awake again and waiting in Alex's arms.

"I think it's about time we headed home," Roger said as he got to his feet. "Do you want us to take the girls home?"

"If you don't mind," Joanne replied. Alex gently prodded Cassia to her feet and put a supporting hand on the small of her back so she didn't fall back asleep. "The girls will be fine home alone tonight." Cassia spun around to face him.

"Please stay with me," she pleaded. "I don't want to be alone." He looked to his father to see what he said.

"It's fine with me," Benny relented. This usually wasn't something he went for, but these were different circumstances. Cassia looked at Joanne with pleading eyes.

"Fine, but just this once." Alex guided Cassia out the door as Mark picked up Paige and Collins picked up Tiffany. The Bohemians all left, leaving Joanne alone in the hospital as she waited for Maureen to get done with surgery.

Outside Maureen and Joanne's apartment building, Collins handed Tiffany off to Alex while Mark did the same with Paige to Cassia.

"Angel's gonna be by in the morning to check on you guys, alright?" Collins asked.

"Okay," Alex and Cassia replied at the same time.

"We're all just a call away if you need anything," Mark added.

"Got it," Cassia assured. This was really starting to get old. She knew how to take care of her sisters, even with everything going on. "You done now?"

"Yeah, we're done." Careful hugs were passed around so they didn't wake the smaller girls, and Cassia and Alex could finally head upstairs.

Upstairs, Cassia and Alex carefully got Tiffany and Paige ready for bed in the bedroom the two girls shared. Tiffany woke up for a split second, but Paige was out like a light. Working as a team, they tucked the two into their beds for the night before retreating to Cassia's room.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" Cassia pleaded as she grabbed Alex's hands in hers and swung them back and forth. He let out a sigh.

"I dunno, Cass…" he trailed off. "I really don't think that that would be appropriate, especially with everything going on."

"Please Alex." She reached up and stroked her cheek. "Just until I fall asleep. I don't want to be alone tonight." Some tears sprang up in her eyes, breaking his heart clean in two.

"Alright, but just until you fall asleep." Cassia pecked him on the cheek before grabbing her pajamas and heading to the bathroom to get changed and brush her teeth.

While Cassia got changed, Alex looked around her room (without being overly invasive of course). There were pictures of her with her family, the Bohemians and her friends pinned up to a bulletin board above her desk. He mostly looked at those, watching, literally, as Cassia grew up over the years. From what he got from the photos, she was adopted at about three, while Tiffany was adopted around two and Paige from infancy. They looked like such a happy family, despite everything going on in their lives.

"I really should take some of those down," Cassia said from behind him. He spun around to find her in a pair of Victoria's Secret pajama pants and black cami. Even dressed like that, she looked absolutely gorgeous in his eyes. "Some of them are kinda embarrassing."

"I think that they all look wonderful," he told her as he turned around and kissed her forehead softly.

"Whatever you say," Cassia said as she rolled her eyes and walked over to the bed. "I don't know about you, but I'm absolutely exhausted." Alex slid off his shoes and lay down on the bed between Cassia and the wall. It was a tight fit on the bed, but it was only temporary. He slid an arm around her waist and squeezed her hand softly as they lay together.

True to his word, Alex stayed with Cassia until her breathing evened out, and she was fast asleep. Then, careful not to wake her, he climbed out of bed, grabbed his shoes and headed out to the living room. On his way, however, he poked his head in Tiffany and Paige's room. They too were fast asleep. Alex settled down on the couch in the living room, which really wasn't all too bad, pulled the afghan from the back of the couch on top of him and fell asleep as well.

When Alex woke up the next morning, there was a weight on top of his back. He shifted slightly only to discover that it was Paige lying on his back. Tiffany was curled up on the recliner while watching cartoons.

"Good morning!" she chirped when she saw that he was awake.

"Morning," he grumbled sleepily. Gently, he rolled Paige onto the couch next to him and sat up. Immediately, she crawled onto his lap.

"I think Paige likes you," Tiffany pointed out rather bluntly.

"Great." Any further conversation was cut off by Angel coming out of the kitchen. Alex hadn't even noticed her in there.

"Morning, sleepy head," she said too cheerfully for his liking. "Looks like Cassia has a little competition."

"Great." Paige sat happily on his lap as he woke up.

Cassia emerged from her bedroom to find Alex in the kitchen scooping some pancakes onto a plate with Paige playing happily at his feet. He looked up and couldn't help but smile at her disheveled appearance.

"You stayed all night," she pointed out, rather surprised.

"Of course I did. I told you I would, and I did." She kissed his cheek softly. "Would you like some pancakes?" he offered.

"Of course I would."

"That boy better not be taking credit for my pancakes!" Angel exclaimed as she returned to the kitchen from the bathroom.

"Of course I'm not. I never said that I made them." Angel crossed her arms over her chest but smiled.

"How's my mom?" Cassia asked her.

"She pulled through," Angel told her as she pulled her into a comforting hug. " I talked to your mama before getting here, and she said that if your mom makes it through the next 24 hours, she should be alright." Cassia nodded. The next 24 hours would probably be the longest of her life.

"Okay," she said, trying to hold back her tears.

"come on, let's eat." Alex scooped Paige up in his arms and carried her over to her highchair. "Cass, he's definitely a keeper. Paige latched on to him right from the get-go, and he's been perfectly fine with it." Cassia smiled.

"Yeah, I know." She grabbed some plates out of the cabinet and carried them over to the table where everyone else was waiting. She couldn't believe that Alex had actually stayed all night and played with her sisters until she woke up; Angel was definitely right about him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

Maureen heard voices. They swam in and out of her head as she drifted in and out of consciousness. She wasn't sure if she was really awake or not or where she was. One thing was for sure; her head was pounding, like her brain was trying to push out of her head. She tried to open her eyes, tried to ask for help, but nothing was working. All she could do was lay there, was she even laying down, waiting. The waiting wasn't actually that bad since she mostly slipped into a lulling state of nothingness where even the pain was dulled into a gentle throbbing sensation.

Joanne sat dutifully at Maureen's side. This had to be the longest 24 hours in her entire life. Maureen looked so pale and helpless, and all Joanne wanted to do was swap places with her and take away her pain. She'd never wish this on anyone, not after seeing how much pain Maureen was in. This was absolutely terrible to see the woman she loved laying in bed completely defenseless and maybe on death's door. That only caused fresh tears to spring up in Joanne's eyes. She couldn't stand to think about what would happen if Maureen didn't make it.

A small twitch caught Joanne's attention. She looked up to see Maureen's eyes cracked open and looking around.

"Hey, Honeybear," she cooed as she sat forward and gently cupped her thin cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright, I guess," Maureen replied. Her voice was raspy and weak. "What happened?"

"Cassia couldn't wake you, so she called 911. They removed the tumor; they got all of it." All Maureen could do was nod slightly. Joanne kissed her forehead gently and smoothed away her hair. "Are you thirsty or anything?"

"A little bit." She poured a cup of water and propped Maureen up slightly in bed.

"Here," she said as she pressed the rim to her dry lips. Maureen slowly drank the cool, refreshing liquid.

"Thanks, Pookie." Joanne sat back down and put the cup on the food tray next to the bed. Maureen lay down and closed her eyes.

"How's your eyesight?"

"A little better than before." She opened her eyes. "Ok, a lot better. I guess I'm so used to it fading in and out." Joanne reached over and squeezed her hand gently.

"I'm so glad that you're feeling better." Maureen's eyes started getting heavy. Joanne let her sleep; she needed her rest above everything else right now.

Two days later, Cassia, Tiffany and Paige were all at the loft under the care of Mark, Roger and Mimi. Mimi and Cassia were trying to make something for dinner while the guys played with Tiffany and Paige.

"So, tell me about Alex," Mimi teased as she got a salad together. She knew that Roger wouldn't eat it, but hopefully he'd set a good example this time around for the girls.

"There's nothing to tell," Cassia replied rather quickly, too quickly to really pass it off as a plausible statement.

"Oh, come on, Cass, we all saw you two curled up in the hospital together and how much you wanted him to stay with you that night. You better spill."

"I'm sure Angel's told you everything anyway, so why do you need to hear it from me?" Cassia reasoned as she pulled the pizza out of the oven for them to eat. She _really_ wanted this conversation to end…and soon.

"Because I gotta hear it from you. Angel has a habit of blowing things way out of proportion, so there's no way to be sure of what's true and what's in her head." She let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fine, we're dating. He's way better than Zack could ever dream of being, and my sisters love him."

"So…is he a keeper?"

"Aunt Mimi, please! Let's try to get to our one month anniversary before thinking about anything like that." With that said, Cassia rushed out of the kitchen with pizza in hand for her, Tiffany and Paige; anything to get away from Mimi and her constant badgering.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

Maureen sat propped up in bed watching television while Joanne ran home to shower and change. It was so boring at this hospital, and she couldn't wait until she got to go home as well. A knock on the door caught her attention. She looked up to find Benny standing there, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

"May I, uh, come in?" he stammered.

"Sure." She muted the television and motioned to the chair Joanne usually occupied next to the bed. He took a seat and crossed his legs. "What's up, Benjamin?" she teased. It felt as if the old Maureen was back.

"I just stopped by to see how you're doing…and to make amends. I figured since Alex and Cassia are 'involved' now, it would help to have their parents getting along with each other."

"There's nothing to makes amends about. We've been getting along fine for a while now, and unless you royally screw up again, I don't see things changing between us any time soon." Benny cracked a small smile.

"I don't think I'll be closing down any tent cities any time soon."

"And I don't think I'll be staging any protests soon. I'll be stuck here for the rest of eternity it feels like."

"It can't be _that_ bad," Benny reasoned, even though he knew that it had to be terrible for someone like Maureen to be stuck in a bed for several days on end. She gave him a knowing look, and they both laughed. "At least you're better." She sighed.

"Yeah, at least I'm better. No more headaches, my eyesight is almost back to normal, and I'm gaining weight again."

"You know, most women aren't exactly thrilled about gaining weight." She smacked his arm playfully.

"When you weight as much as I do, gaining weight is a Godsend. That radiation and shit really did the trick."

"Well, it's great to see that you're back to normal now." Maureen took a sip of water and nodded in agreement. Things really were starting to look up for her now.

Joanne walked down the hall to Maureen's hospital room holding Paige's hand on one side of her and Tiffany's hand on the other. They were going to see Maureen now that she was almost back to her usual self. When they entered the room, they found her talking happily to Benny as if they were old friends.

"Mommy!" Tiffany exclaimed as she ran from Joanne's grip and bounced up onto the bed.

"Hey, honey," Maureen cooed as she scooped her up into her arms and kissed the top of her head lovingly.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, Tiff." Joanne carefully put Paige down on the other side of Maureen. She was more than thrilled to be back with her mommy once again. Maureen held both of her little girls close, afraid to let them go. "Where's Cass?"

"At the library with Alex," Joanne replied as she leaned casually against the air conditioner.

"I can guarantee that there's no studying getting done," Benny pointed out with a chuckle. Maureen and Joanne had to agree with him there. They trusted the two of them together, even after Cassia's exploits with Zack before.

At the library, Cassia and Alex were actually bent over their books trying to get some homework done. Under the table, they played footsies with each other, causing them to crack small smiles and glance up at each other every so often.

"This whole studying together thing really isn't working," she pointed out rather bluntly. Alex closed his book.

"I gotta agree with you there." Cassia began to put her books away as well. "Say we start to head home. It's getting late." Before she could react, he grabbed her bag as well as his, and they walked out of the library and towards their buildings.

By the time Cassia got home, Joanne and the girls were home from the hospital as well. Joanne was in the kitchen making dinner while Tiffany and Paige watched television in the living room.

"How much studying did you two _really_ get done today?" Joanne asked as Cassia dumped her bag next to the front door.

"Define 'studying'," she teased as she grabbed a banana out of the bowl of fruit on the counter.

"Cassia!" Joanne exclaimed.

"Just kidding, gosh, Mama. We did get a lot of studying done, but we got bored and left the library to come home." She spun around and called over her shoulder, "I'll be in my room!" Rolling her eyes, Joanne went back to preparing dinner. Maureen definitely was more adept at handling teenage problems such as guys and dating, and she couldn't wait for her to come home.

**A/N:** Next chapter is probably going to be the last.

~Tina101


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Maureen was finally on her way home. She was so tired of being stuck in bed, although she'd most likely be stuck in bed at home too, tired of the terrible hospital food and definitely tired of being away from her beloved family and children. She missed watching movies with Paige and playing with Tiffany and talking about boys with Cassia. It was all the little things in life that she missed the most, and now that she was back to normal, she could enjoy those little things once again. One thing was for sure, she missed spending time in bed with Joanne. They hadn't really had a whole lot of alone time in recent months, and they had to make up for that.

Joanne carefully guided Maureen into the apartment. She was greeted by Paige rushing forward and latching on to her legs.

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" she chanted.

"Hey baby," Maureen cooed as she scooped her up in her arms.

"Welcome home, Mom," Cassia said as she wrapped her arms around Maureen in a warm hug.

"Thanks Cass." She motioned for Tiffany to come and give her a hug as well. It felt wonderful to be home once again. Anything other than that damn hospital room was wonderful, but home was the best place she could possibly be.

Later that night, after Cassia, Tiffany and Paige were all in bed, Maureen and Joanne got to spend some intimate time together for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Their lips first met in a slow, tender kiss. Joanne was afraid to do anything else, especially so soon after such a major surgery.

"Honeybear, why don't we get ready for bed?" she suggested when the kiss broke off. Maureen nodded; she was starting to get worn out.

"Alright." She grabbed a pair of sweats and a t-shirt out of the dresser for her while Joanne got her pajamas out from under her pillow. Silently, they got changed for bed and slid under the covers. Maureen immediately curled up against her, with her head resting against her shoulder. "I love you, Pookie," she whispered contently as she drifted off to sleep.

"I love you too, Honeybear," Joanne whispered as she played with her curls until she too fell asleep.

**The End**

**A/N:** Sorry for ending this story so abruptly, but for my emotional health I had to. Maureen's story isn't unique. My uncle has a tumor in his small intestine. He has a fifty percent chance of surviving the next year, and after that he'll only live for another two years or so. This story was, of sorts, a type of therapy for me. Some of you were expecting Maureen to die, but I have to believe in miracles and happy endings so I don't go crazy over the next few months. As always, thanks for the reviews and thank you, Jonathan Larson, who didn't live to see his own miracle on Broadway.

~Tina101

**A/N:** On August 16, 2009, my uncle passed away from cancer, one day more, and he would have been fighting it for exactly five months. He was surrounded by his parents, brother, sister-in-law, wife and mother-in-law. My mom, his younger sister, couldn't bring herself to be in the room with him. He was 52. It was his oldest daughter's 14th birthday.

~Tina101


End file.
